My dog ...

I actually have two dogs, Bella and Milo, and it's Milo that I want to talk about today. 

I adopted him three years ago, when he was about 6 or 7, from the Dumb Friends League.  I didn't even notice him at first, and when I did look at him, I totally disregarded him as a companion for my young dog Bella.  Bella had been 8 weeks old when I got her from another shelter, and I'd first met and picked her out when she was only 3 weeks old.  At that time I had two grown, older dogs who both passed within a few months of each other when Bella was less than a year old.

At first I thought we'd just keep things the way they were, but I think I just needed time to grieve.  So I wasn't looking for an older dog when I went to the Adoption center that day in January, but Milo kept barking as if to say "I'm for you Lady, look over here at me", and eventually I did look.  He was very mellow and happy to just get some attention, and best of all Bella approved of him.  Over the last three years I have really come to love this dog ,,, he's just so easy, he makes no demands at all and just gives love. 

So now his kidneys are showing signs of failing and other things are showing up in his bloodwork.  But the amazing thing is, and why I wanted to write about him today, is that the difference between how he appears/acts, and how his bloodwork says he should be acting are different like night and day.  He looks healthy, happy, vital and very much alive ,,, yet his tests show a dog who is very sick and about a year ago was given a 3 month prognosis of life.  But Milo evidently has no intention of going anywhere, and sometimes he gazes at my face with so much love, intelligence and compassion.  It's as if he's saying to me "Don't believe everything you hear, YOU are in charge of your life, and no one else".

Milo came to my life for a reason, he is my teacher and one of many amazing spirit guides I have had in this life so far.  He teaches me every day what being really human feels like.  And isn't that amazing for a dog. :-)